xiv BOARD OF AGRTCULTURE. [Vuh. Doc. 



which might be made avHilal)le l)y drainage. The sohition of 

 the problem is not within the reach of the individual land- 

 owner or town authority, but must be undertaken by the State. 

 There is no means of ascertaining the exact amount of land 

 which could be made available to agriculture by such drain- 

 age, but the amount of this land is surprisingly large, and I 

 l)espeak your earnest consideration of this matter, and would 

 suggest that the Board declare itself in favor of the general 

 scheme of such reclamation, and that its committee appear 

 in favor of any measure which will result in thus materially 

 increasing the agricultural wealth of the State. 



Legislation of 1912. 

 It was felt that the several recommendations of this Board 

 received fairly liberal treatment by the Legislature of 1912. 

 The appropriation for the dissemination of useful information 

 in agriculture was increased from $5,000 to $6,000, in accordance 

 with the enlarged demand for such information. The amount 

 of bounty available to the several agricultural societies rep- 

 resented on the Board was increased by $400 for each society, 

 $200 to be used for general awards and $200 for the encourage- 

 ment of agricultural thought and activity'" among children and 

 youtlis. Li recognition of the most valuable work of the State 

 Ornithologist, a bill to increase the appropriation for the salary 

 of this official from $')00 to $2,000 was introduced, and finally 

 became a law after the amount had been reduced to $1,500. 

 An increase of the annual appropriation for nursery inspection 

 from $12,000 to $15,000 was granted. An annual appropriation 

 of $2,000 for -the encouragement of agriculture by holding of 

 special exhibitions was granted. A bill carrying an appropria- 

 tion of $2,000 for the purpose of making an exhibit at the 

 American Land and Irrigation Exposition in New York was 

 passed. A bill to provide for the encouragement of our de- 

 clining dairy industry failed of enactment, as did also a pro- 

 vision for the publication of a farm catalogue; and a bill pro- 

 viding for the further consolidation of the State work for 

 agriculture, by bringing the work of the Cattle Bureau under 

 the direction of this Board, received unfavorable action by the 

 Legislature. 



